The first of what could be three storms is drifting through San Diego County, dropping light precipitation from the bluffs of Solana Beach to the slopes of Mt. Laguna. The system is expected to intensify today, periodically dropping moderate-to-heavy rain inland, and producing winds that gust to 50 mph in some mountain passes, says the National Weather Service. Temperatures won't rise out of the mid-40s to low 60s in most areas.

Rain totals could rain 0.25'' to 0.75'' at the coast and 2'' or more in the higher elevations of the local mountains.

(Tell us what the weather is like in your community in the Comments section.)

Forecasters said on Tuesday that a long plume of moisture from the Gulf of Alaska would track through Southern California between Wednesday and early Monday. The moisture would be broken into two waves of rain -- the first arriving today, the second arriving late Friday night. Forecasters now say the region could get a third wave next Monday night or early Tuesday. Coastal areas could receive about 1.5'' of precipitation during that period, with twice as much falling inland. And the system is cold enough begin drop snow down to the 3,000 feet level on Saturday.

The weather service says the core of the storm will arrive late Friday night and last into late Saturday, dropping 1'' of rain at the coastal and up to 3'' in some inland spots. And the snow level will drop to the 3,000 foot level late Saturday, likely dusting areas like Julian.

But forecaster Jamie Moker says, "We're not sure what path the storm will take, so it's hard to say how much rain will fall (in specific areas."

But the weather service says the latter half of the storm will bring very cold weather, and a lot of wind, to the entire county. Flash flood advisories are expected.

The storms represent the first significant precipitation of 2011. Since Jan. 1, Lindbergh Field in San Diego has recorded only 0.30'' of rain, which is about 3'' below normal.

"This is the beginning of a pattern change for us," Moker said. "It's going to be a lot cooler and there's going to be a lot more moisture."

ASKED/ANSWERED

Has the entire month of February ever been dry in San Diego? Our Rob Krier says: February got nothing twice (1912 and 1967), and once it recorded only a trace (1924). The 30-year average for the month is 2.04 inches. February was fairly consistent the first decade of this century. Only once did less than an inch of rain fall (0.17 in 2002). Last year the total was 2.28 inches, and it was 2.63 in 2009.

History file: On this date in 1959, says NWS, "Heavy rains that started on 2.14 and ended on 2.16 produced flooding in San Diego."